The Palais Thornier, once a central facet of the Lumiose City bourgeois lifestyle, exists now as but a shadow of its former glory. It was not until recently that any effort was made to restore it, as part of a by all accounts ambitious project spearheaded by the new management of the Palais, Margaux le Baudin, who had herself been a star actress that graced the prominent theater's stage during its heyday.
Today, Le Baudin is a woman leaning on her mid 30s and, although certainly not the flamboyant young starlet of yesteryear, her hair is still blonde and flowing, and her eyes that had once regularly graced the cover of Le Nouvel Poké Opéra are still an attractive faded gray in color, still looking slightly amused by everything that the world had to offer. She was decidedly in no rush to disappear into obscurity as all Poké opera singers inevitably do, and had for the past decade earned a more than modest living from performing at the occasional special event or haughty cocktail social; on occasion spending less of her time singing and more of her time drinking, but always paid extravagantly if only for her presence.
But tonight - and Margaux could feel it in her bones, much like the passion that drove her to the stage in the first place - tonight was going to be an extraordinary start to her new life not as a performer, but this time around, as a manager.
She arrived at the theater early in the morning; well before even the decorating team that was to (hopefully) apply the finishing touches in time for the Grand Opening scheduled for that evening. She is comfortably seated at one of the bright red sofas in the foyer, perking up when her guest emerges through the double wide doors fashionably late, as was his style.
He is a handsome earl, wearing a purple coat, top hat (which he removes) and garnet embroidered white undershirt. Bowing and kissing her hand, his wavy chestnut stained hair falls at either side of his elegantly crafted face: with its thin, elfen nose and rounded, effeminate contours.
The grand damme appears to be flustered. "Monsieur Théodore, you are late. And hammy as ever, I see." She says, caught between a grin and a scathing stare. The Frenchman was simply too gorgeous to hate outright!
"Hammy, and the critics are in love with me for it." He replies, showcasing his sparkling white teeth, hazel colored eyes twinkling when he smiles. Normally, one would have to pay a one thousand pokédollar admittance to be entitled to such a treat, and only then as a member of an audience.
"As for being late, I apologize. I had rehearsed my lines for Rose de l'amour éternel tonight, and it took un peu longer than expected."
He retrieves a Poké ball that had been hooked to and daintily hanging by a gold strap connected to one of his belt loops.
"Oh, I imagine Clovis is as excited as I am, to have the honor of performing at the Thornier on the night of it reopening!"
Théodore squeezes the capsule, releasing a Roserade from it in a flash of red light.
The Bouquet Pokemon sways its rose arms toward Margaux in greeting, then appraises its surroundings with an expression of thorough disinterest.
Before Le Baudin could begin to dispense with the usual pleasantries about his Pokemon, the door opens again.
Joining the two is a young woman with raven-black hair whose resemblance to the Madame would have nonetheless immediately struck any veteran theater critic in Lumiose City. Estella le Baudin flips her Pidgeot-feather scarf over her shoulder, glaring at Margaux coldly through a similar pair of misty gray eyes. But whereas her mother's own were prone to looking upon all things with curiosity and a healthy dose of childish naivety, her daughter's gaze was more critical; intimidating.
"I am here, mother." She acknowledges simply, and nothing more is said on the matter.
Le Baudin takes Théodore, Estella and Clovis on a brief tour of the Palais, which, through careful planning, had retained its original layout.
"Save for a few...minor details, to prevent a repeat of the 2003 disaster."
She need not go into detail, either. Everyone knew about the fire which had been wrought by an explosion in the boiler room of the original Palais Thornier. It created a blaze that consumed everything: the stage, the dressing rooms, the audience, the foyer, ultimately claiming as many as 52 confirmed human and Pokemon lives, including those of its lead male actor and his Pokemon partner.
The group stops at a pair of freshly polished dual mahogany doors that lead to the auditorium.
Théodore inspects the door's intricate designs with amazement. "Impossible! I remember this door from the original construction. As a child, I was fascinated by the little Pokemon in its design!"
"They were an obsession of the theater's architect, Erik Thornier." Margaux explains, tracing along the flowers, the vines and Pokemon with her hand. "Hence the tradition of lead roles always going to Pokemon of Roselia's evolutionary line."
Estella clears her throat loudly. "Might I finally see the stage?" And, just like before, nothing more is said on the subject of the artistry of the door.
The auditorium is cloaked in a thick darkness, pierced only by the light from the outside that reveals particles of dust spiraling in the empty space between rows upon rows of long velvet cushioned seats that are a bright red in color much like the sofas in the foyer.
"I will turn on the lights. Why not come up to the stage, and have a feel for it?" Margaux says, then disappears behind the emerald and gold stage curtains.
Estella is about to take upon the steps leading onto to the stage, but is blocked by Théodore.
"Belle femme and my co-star for the evening, I should have guessed you are the daughter of the graceful Madame le Baudin!"
"Graceful? Merci, she would have loved to hear that when her career sank and she turned to the liquor for comfort." Estella scowls, brushing a displaced brunette strand of hair back into place behind her ear, as she slips past Théodore and climbs unto the stage. "She moves about as clumsily as a Spinda now, merely the remnants of a once great Carmine."
A loud thud noise coming from up in the balconies startles them.
"Who goes there?" Théodore yells, his voice carrying across the whole hall.
A rapid succession of lighter knocks follow, sounding like rapid footsteps.
Clovis looks around agitated, as if sensing a presence.
But when the knockings subside as the overhead lights flicker on, it is apparent that no one else was present in the auditorium.
"Perhaps it was a janitor combing the rows." Thédore suggests, when he sees how much it had shaken Estella. Although he himself was unconvinced. After all, he had just watched the entrance to the auditorium be unlocked by Margaux, so it was unlikely that anybody would have had access before them, on that day. "A Pokemon might have slipped inside somehow." He adds, after some thought.
Isabella nods in agreement. "Bunnelby are known for engaging in such rascally behavior, I suppose." She makes up a face as though it were the most disgusting of thoughts to ever cross her mind.
Margaux re-emerges.
"So Isabella, where is Alexis? You know the show cannot go on without her." She says, eyeing the Luxury Poke ball at her daughter's side.
Isabella crosses her arms. "She will come out only when the play demands as much. That is its only purpose. Now, show me to where the dressing rooms are, if you would please."
Margaux and Théodore exchange concerned looks, the latter considering whether to bring up the strange occurence - ultimately deigning not to, as it would have brought bad luck down on his debut at the theatre - while the former was thinking that tonight would not run as swimmingly as she had previously envisioned.
Le Baudin had invited her estranged daughter to play an important role in the opening production - her first big break in months - and yet to Margaux's dismay, expressed aloud in a prolonged sigh, her daughter still appeared to be unwilling to let go of their previous disagreements. She was as stubborn as father alright, and if only he had still been around she might have a share of his joviality and kindness as well.
Clovis just rolls his eyes.